DIRECTV swings into another season of expanded, interactive golf coverage April 5-8 with the 2012 Masters Tournament, offering fans a unique, in-depth viewing experience that is the next best thing to a patron badge at golf's most prestigious event.

Combining CBS Sports' and ESPN's live HD coverage of the Tournament, DIRECTV's "Masters Mosaic" interactive TV application and six-channel Masters Mix will immerse fans in the atmosphere of the fabled Augusta National Golf Club, allowing them to more closely follow the world's best golfers as they vie for the coveted Green Jacket.

The Masters Mix Channel, available only on DIRECTV, offers fans six views of the Tournament: the main CBS Sports/ESPN feed; two Featured Group channels; Amen Corner; holes 15 and 16; and "Masters in Depth," along with a continuously running leader board featuring live tee times, scoring and leaders' locations on the course. Each extra channel of coverage is fully produced with its own announcers.

Viewers will also have access to the following interactive menu of features 24 hours a day throughout the tournament on any of the six Masters channels:

  • Top Five Leaders - displays the top five current scores against par.
  • Leader Board - provides information on all the golfers in the field including players' hole-by-hole stats through the Scorecard feature, displaying greens hit in regulation, driving distance, putting average for each player in the field, and will include current and previous rounds. And a new customizable leader board lets fans select their favorite player and place them on top of the board to more easily track their scores.
  • Highlights - allows viewers on-demand access to the previous round's highlights as well as five golfer-specific highlight packages focusing on the top two leaders and three notable players in each round.
  • Course Tour - provides fans with a birds-eye video of each hole.
  • Masters Quiz - challenges fans with 10 questions, refreshed daily, about the history of the Masters and Augusta National, and the day's action on course.

"We're thrilled to continue our association with the Masters Tournament, CBS Sports and ESPN to create another spectacular viewing experience for golf fans," said Tony Goncalves, senior vice president, Product Management, DIRECTV. "The Masters Mosaic offers fans who love the game a whole new way to watch the Tournament and feel the aura of Augusta, and it's only on DIRECTV."

DIRECTV's Tournament coverage will also include the 2012 Masters Preview Show premiering April 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. ET on its exclusive Audience Network. CBS Sports announcer Ian Baker Finch talks with the world's No. 1-ranked player Luke Donald, who offers exclusive insights on the 2012 Masters Tournament - only on DIRECTV. The 2011 Masters Official Review Show will also premiere on the Audience Network on April 2 from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. ET. All video highlights and a course tour will be available on DIRECTV On Demand. DIRECTV will also air 3D coverage of the Tournament on ESPN 3D (Channel 106). For details on all Tournament coverage visit www.directv.com/masters.

About DIRECTV

DIRECTV (NASDAQ: DTV) is one of the world's leading providers of digital television entertainment services delivering a premium video experience through state-of-the-art technology, unmatched programming and industry leading customer service to 32 million customers in the U.S. and Latin America. In the U.S., DIRECTV offers its 19.9 million customers access to more than 170 HD channels and Dolby-Digital® 5.1 theater-quality sound, access to exclusive sports programming such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET™, Emmy- award winning technology and higher customer satisfaction than the leading cable companies for 11 years running. DIRECTV Latin America, through its subsidiaries and affiliated companies in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, and other Latin American countries, leads the pay-TV category in technology, programming and service, delivering an unrivaled digital television experience to 12 million customers. DIRECTV sports and entertainment properties include three Regional Sports Networks (Northwest, Rocky Mountain and Pittsburgh) as well as a 60 percent interest in Game Show Network. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit www.directv.com.

DIRECTV
Robert Mercer
(310) 964-4683
rgmercer@directv.com